When I wake this morning the sky is overcast with clouds and the temperatures are decidedly wintry again, much to my disappointment. Though I would love to stay in bed for another hour…or five, the dogs are making a racket and I really need to get started on the day.
First thing’s first, however. I need to make two phone calls and I start with the vet to ask how Clue is doing. As suspected, he is suffering from the same affliction as before and needed surgery. But, we can come and pick him up later in the day since they removed the abscess, placed a drain and pumped him full with antibiotics.
That settled I call school to make an appointment for next week–three hours this time–and am just barely in time to talk with the teach who was at the verge of departing for her lunch hour. While responding to the dogs barking, I meet up with grandpa, (he’s come to check out the noise) standing under the roof of the carport right beside me cabin. He informs me that his and little sister’s visit to the embassy went reasonably well, and that’s a relief.
Once I’ve gone through the morning rituals, I head on down to the house, once again taking note of he fact that Yadzia isn’t there anymore, and call the dogs into the courtyard so I can lead them inside–otherwise they’ll be all over grandpa. Hah. During our daily status report of what has been done and needs to be done, it is decided that, while I go pick up Clue and grandpa’s moped, I’ll drop the car off at the garage.
Yesterday, while returning from our lesson we noticed that the lights in the dash have dimmed again, and that the backlight doesn’t work anymore. The last time when we had these problems, rodents had made their way into the wiring, literally shutting down the entire car and forcing us to have it towed for repairs. For that reason we’re going to bring it in immediately, before something disastrous happens. When it rains it pours, as they say, but hopefully we can divert it this time.
Breakfast done with and coffee in hand, big brother and I immediately settle down to work on the book, managing four pages in the hours that follow while I keep a close eye on the time. I’m just about to get ready for departure to pick up Clue, when the phone rings, displaying the vethospital’s number.
I’m informed that they would rather have me pick him up later tonight, after eight, so they can do a few more checks on him before I take him home. I’m actually relieved, the time change will allow me to continue on with the editing a bit longer, and then the sibs and I can head on out into the garden to do some more trimming and weeding.
So, by the time the sibs arrive and have gone through their own morning rituals we head on out into the garden and resume our most recent project.
Middle sister and I start tackling the trees again, while little brother and sister lug the debris away, keeping the dogs nicely distracted with dragging branches and vines.
The sight astounds me every time: The dogs running back and forth, rutting in the ground and dashing through the high weeds with apparent glee. It is beautiful to witness. They love it so much, and even though things might get done a little faster without them getting constantly in the way, I wouldn’t miss them for the world.
Having finished with the trees on top of the sheer wall that flanks the old pool, we head down to where the old bus is parked. During the last storm lots of thick branches were shredded, leaving them to dangle helplessly in the air. This obliges us to reach up high to saw through the mess, and in the end it even forces little brother to climb the tree in question so he can saw the branch off at the damaged juncture.
Since this is bound to take some time with only the small handsaw to do the task, my sisters and I move on to the next trees, tackling weeds while we’re at it. Rapidly room is created within this second part of “jungle”, returning to us the sight of the grand view our property is blessed with.
Slowly we make our way to the western fence, revealing oleanders, pines and several young olive trees that have managed to survive the massive growth of weeds and vines.
By the time seven o’clock arrives, (about half an hour after little sister headed up to start on dinner) I need to hurry to get to the village in time.
Since dinner is not yet ready when we return to the house, I eat a cold egg roll big brother forgot he made this morning. Then I hurry on up to the car to drop grandpa off, so he can pick up his moped, and proceed on over to the garage myself.
I waste almost an hour there and am getting a little frantic about the time passing, since I still need to pick up Clue. Since the backlight isn’t working, I don’t dare to take the car back in case I pass a police control and get pulled over for a malfunctioning light. After considerable efforts from the garage manager, it turns out that a rental car won’t be available until tomorrow morning, so what am I to do?
The man is already suggesting a taxi, when I suggest that he checks the light to see if maybe it’s just the bulb this time. Bingo! Ten minutes later I’m heading to the vet (an appointment is set for repairs in the morning) and arrive only fifteen minutes late. Phew.
I speak with the vet for several minutes as he explains how the surgery went and how much of poor clue’s flesh he had to remove…without being able to get to the cause. Yes, the problem is solved for now, but there is no guarantee that the problem won’t return in the near future. Poor Clue.
Still, the chocolate colored dog is ecstatic when he’s released from the back and comes dashing into the reception area, bouncing happily with the knowledge that he’s going home. With a batch of antibiotics in my pocket and a huge bill paid once again, I head home.
After greeting my pack and getting my share of tonight’s dinner, I manage to catch the last fifteen minutes of NCIS and relax. Once the meal has settled, I remember the laundry and deal with it before I flop down in the comfortable armchair I favor with one of big brother’s trousers on my lap.
During the last stint of fence repairs, he managed to tear a large hole in the butt of his pants, and while I watch the second to last episode of “Burn Notice”. Very exciting stuff today, with a cliffhanger that had me swear a blue streak. Well, it’s something to look forward to, I guess.
With a final hour of editing done after the TV is shut off, it is time for me to retire. I’m glad for it, too. Today it seemed as if I hardly had time to breathe, let alone relax…but those are the better days, for sure.
On to tomorrow.
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